Focusing on agriculture key to poverty reduction – IITA

Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, has said that focusing on agriculture is key to poverty reduction and improving the economic growth of any country.

Ehui stated this on Thursday at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IITA and Sierra Leone, as part of activities marking the end of a four-day visit of the President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Julius Bio, to IITA in Ibadan.

He said that agriculture was the backbone of Sierra Leone, like many African countries, noting that about 70 to 80 percent of the people of Sierra Leone depend on agriculture for their livelihood.

“So if we want to reduce poverty and improve economic growth, focusing on agriculture and empowering farmers is one of the key solutions, if not the solutions،” he said.

Ehui said that Bio’s visit gave him the opportunity to engage with scientists, policymakers, and business development partners to explore innovative solutions towards agricultural transformation in Sierra Leone.

The IITA helmsman said the visit also provided an opportunity to achieve the goal of the Feed Salone Strategy for Sierra Leone agriculture.

“The government of Sierra Leone developed the Feed Salone Strategy, which is the national agenda for the country, where it’s planning to use innovative solutions to address the goals in agriculture.

“Let me say that IITA has been a long-standing partner of Sierra Leone, and we have been working together to improve food self-sufficiency in the country, improve nutrition, and improve agro-productivity,” Ehui said.

He said the current collaboration between IITA and Sierra Leone focused on how to scale up climate-smart agriculture technologies, strengthen the national research system, and empower youths and farmers with innovative solutions.

Ehui said that the visit also aimed to strengthen the relationship between Sierra Leone and Nigeria in advancing regional agricultural cooperation and opening business opportunities in several value chains, including cassava, yam, banana, plantains, and rice.

“This visit marks a significant milestone in the partnership between IITA and Sierra Leone, reinforcing the shared commitment to agricultural transformation, economic growth, and improved livelihoods for millions of people,” he said.

The Sierra Leone Minister of Agriculture, Henry Kpaka, said that the signing of the MoU and the President’s visit were a critical step in improving the existing relationship between IITA and Sierra Leone.

He said that he was very impressed with what he saw in IITA and promised that the MoU would be implemented better and stronger to better the livelihood of farmers in the country.

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal, commended IITA for their research work in agriculture and expressed the hope that the MoU would be fruitful.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ehui signed the MoU on behalf of the institute while the Sierra Leone Minister of Agriculture signed on behalf of his country. (NAN)